MLB Day 136 2012

Another full slate of games to add to my busy weekend, starting in...

Detroit, with the Tigers hosting the Baltimore Orioles. Wei-Yin Chen and Doug Fister are the solid starters. Detroit established a first inning lead with an Omar Infante solo home run, a three-run blast by Jhonny Peralta, sweeping in Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder, and a Jeff Baker double to plate Delmon Young. Baltimore shot back in the second inning as Chris Davis hit a solo shot, Nick Markakis doubled to knock in Omar Quintanilla, and J.J. Hardy doubled both Taylor Teagarden and Markakis across the dish. The Orioles took the lead in the fourth inning as Nate McLouth tripled to force in Markakis and Hardy before scoring on an Adam Jones single. The scoring ended here, with Chen notching the win, Jim Johnson converting the save, and Fister was dealt the loss.

Up in Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays host the Texas Rangers. Matt Harrison and Henderson Alvarez will be sent out to pitch. Toronto was first to score in the second inning on a Mike McCoy groundout, bringing in Yunel Escobar. Texas answered in the third inning as Geovany Soto singled in David Murphy before scoring on a single by Mitch Moreland. The Rangers got another in the fourth inning as Murphy doubled to plate Michael Young. Texas rallied to extend the lead in the fifth inning on a Josh Hamilton double scoring Elvis Andrus, a Nelson Cruz single to finish Hamilton's trip around, and a three-run home run by Michael Young, sweeping in Adrian Beltre and Cruz. The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the fifth as McCoy hit a solo home run. The Rangers padded the lead in the sixth inning with a ground rule double by Young, forcing in Hamilton and Cruz. Texas got one more in the ninth inning on a Murphy solo shot. This made it 11-2, a final, with Harrison earning the win and Alvarez getting crushed in the loss.

Back stateside, the Cincinnati Reds host the Chicago Cubs. Chris Volstad is mismatched with Mat Latos. Cincinnati opened with a first inning Jay Bruce single scoring Brandon Phillips. Chicago tied it in the third inning as David DeJesus hit a ground rule double to force in Steve Clevenger. The Reds took the lead back in the fourth inning when Wilson Valdez singled Bruce home, followed by Ryan Hanigan hitting a sacrifice fly to allow Todd Frazier to score, and Latos singling to finish Valdez's trip around. The Cubs pulled closer in the sixth inning as Alfonso Soriano hit a sacrifice fly that got DeJesus home, followed by Starlin Castro singling to drive in Darwin Barney. Chicago tied it in the eighth inning as Soriano grounded out to give DeJesus time to dash home. Cincinnati won 5-4 in the ninth inning as Hanigan singled to plate Xavier Paul. Aroldis Chapman was in line for the win while Shawn Camp was responsible for the loss.

To the east, the Washington Nationals bring in the New York Mets. Jeremy Hefner and Gio Gonzalez are given the green light to pitch. Washington started with a second inning Danny Espinosa two-run home run, also scoring Michael Morse after a long rain delay. The Nationals added on in the third inning as Bryce Harper tripled to force in Jayson Werth before coming the final 90 feet on a single by Ryan Zimmerman. Washington extended the lead with a fifth inning Harper solo home run. New York got on the board in the sixth inning with Jason Bay grounding out to provide Ike Davis time to score. The Mets got another as Kelly Shoppach singled home Ronny Cedeno in the eighth inning. This wasn't enough to avoid the 5-2 loss, with the win belonging to Gonzalez, the save tossed by Tyler Clippard, and the loss pinned on Hefner.

South to Atlanta, with the Braves hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chad Billingsley and Mike Minor draw the starts. Los Angeles began with a fifth inning Luis Cruz solo home run. The Dodgers added on in the eighth inning as Mark Ellis singled home Juan Uribe. The Dodgers padded the lead with a ninth inning 3-RBI Mark Ellis double to sweep in A.J. Ellis, Adam Kennedy, and Shane Victorino. This gave them a 5-0 lead and win, which went to Billingsley, while Minor pitched well but had no support in the loss.

West to Houston, as the Astros host the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ian Kennedy faces a lesser foe in Armando Galarraga. Arizona rallied to a fourth inning lead as Aaron Hill hit a solo home run, followed by Chris Young singling in Jason Kubel, Ryan Wheeler walking with the bases-loaded to force in Paul Goldschmidt, Kennedy hitting a sacrifice fly to finish Young's trip around, and Gerardo Parra doubling Stephen Drew across the dish. Houston got on the board in the sixth inning as Jason Castro singled to knock in Tyler Greene. The Diamondbacks replied in the seventh inning as Miguel Montero hit a 2-RBI single to get Hill and Goldschmidt across the plate. Arizona added on in the eighth inning with another Hill solo shot. This gave them an 8-1 lead, which was the final, giving Kennedy the win and Galarraga the loss.

North to Kansas City, with the Royals hosting the Chicago White Sox. Jose Quintana and Jeremy Guthrie will take the hill. Kansas City got going in the second inning on a Salvador Perez double to plate both Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar. Chicago tied the game in the eighth inning when Dewayne Wise reached on an error that allowed safe passage home for Dayan Viciedo and Ray Olmedo. The Royals took the lead back in their half of the inning on a Perez single to drive in Jarrod Dyson, followed by Johnny Giavotella grounding into a fielder's choice that combined with an error to allow Mike Moustakas to come home and a Cain single to finish Eric Hosmer's trip around. This gave them a 5-2 lead, a final, with the win belonging to Greg Holland and the loss pinned on Jesse Crain.

Further north, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Philadelphia Phillies. Kyle Kendrick and Randy Wolf are the back-of-the-rotation starters. Philadelphia led off with a two-run home run by Michael Martinez, also scoring Domonic Brown. The Phillies extended the lead as Brown hit a 3-RBI double in the third inning, sweeping in Kevin Frandsen, Ryan Howard, and Ty Wigginton. Philadelphia added on in the eighth inning with a Brian Schneider double to drive in both Brown and Martinez. The Phillies padded the lead in the ninth inning as Brown singled John Mayberry across the dish. This paced them to an 8-0 win, picked up by Kendrick, while Wolf was dealt the loss.

Back in Missouri, the St. Louis Cardinals host the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Karstens welcomes Jaime Garcia back from the disabled list. St. Louis struck first in the fourth inning as Carlos Beltran doubled both Allen Craig and Matt Holliday home. Pittsburgh got on the board in the sixth inning with Josh Harrison hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in Clint Barmes, before tying the game as Andrew McCutchen singled Karstens safely home. The Pirates took the lead in the seventeenth (yes, that is 17th) inning on a Garrett Jones single giving James McDonald (normally a pitcher, used as a pinch-hitter here) time to come home. The Cardinals tied it in the bottom of the seventeenth as Tony Cruz hit a sacrifice fly that brought in Ryan Jackson. Pittsburgh took the lead again in the nineteenth inning on a Pedro Alvarez solo home run and a 2-RBI McCutchen single to plate Barmes and Jose Tabata. This made it 6-3, and mercifully this was the final. Normally a starting pitcher, Wandy Rodriguez worked as a last resort to record the win, while Barret Browning was dealt the loss.

West to Colorado, as the Rockies host the Miami Marlins. Josh Johnson and Drew Pomeranz will be taking the mound. Miami got going as Carlos Lee grounded out to score Emilio Bonifacio. The Marlins got another in the fourth inning on a John Buck solo home run. Colorado rallied ahead in the bottom of the fourth as Dexter Fowler doubled to plate Josh Rutledge before scoring on a two-run home run by Jordan Pacheco. This ended the scoring at 3-2, with Adam Ottavino notching the win, Rafael Betancourt turning the save, and Johnson was stuck with the loss.

Out in California, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Tampa Bay Rays. Matt Moore and Zack Greinke are penciled in to pitch. Tampa Bay got things going in the second inning when Elliot Johnson was hit by a pitch and B.J. Upton walked with the bases loaded to force in Ryan Roberts and Sean Rodriguez, respectively, followed by Matt Joyce singling both Jose Molina and Johnson in. Los Angeles got on the board in the fourth inning as Mike Trout hit a solo home run. The Rays added on in the fifth inning as Roberts hit a two-run home run, also scoring Evan Longoria. The Angels shot back in the sixth inning as Albert Pujols hit a solo shot. Tampa Bay padded the lead in the ninth inning as Carlos Pena doubled both Upton and Sam Fuld across the dish. Los Angeles tried a ninth inning rally as Erick Aybar singled to drive in Alberto Callaspo, but they lost 8-3 and scored no more. Moore was given the win and Greinke had a rough loss.

Down in San Diego, the Padres host the San Francisco Giants. Ryan Vogelsong and Clayton Richard pace the game. San Diego began as Carlos Quentin singled in Will Venable, followed by Cameron Maybin singling both Quentin and Yonder Alonso across the dish. San Francisco got on the board in the second inning with Hunter Pence hitting a sacrifice fly to allow Buster Posey to score.The Padres extended the lead in the fifth inning with Maybin singling Alexi Amarista home before scoring alongside John Baker on a double from Everth Cabrera. San Diego got another in the eighth inning on a Venable solo home run. This gave them a 7-1 lead, good for the win, earned by Richard, while Vogelsong struggled in the loss.

North to Oakland, where the Athletics host the Cleveland Indians. Justin Masterson and Jarrod Parker are the inconsistent pitchers. Oakland was first on the board as Coco Crisp singled to plate Cliff Pennington.The Athletics added on in the fourth inning with a Brandon Moss solo home run. Oakland padded the lead in the fifth inning with a three-run home run by Crisp, sweeping in Pennington and Jemile Weeks. The Athletics got some more in the sixth inning as Weeks doubled to score Pennington and then finished his trip around on a Crisp single. This was it for the scoring, with the final being 7-0, giving Parker a dominant win and Masterson had no help in the loss.

Further north, the Seattle Mariners welcome the Minnesota Twins. Samuel Deduno and Blake Beavan are the young starters. Minnesota started with a second inning Trevor Plouffe sacrifice fly to bring in Josh Willingham. Seattle answered in the third inning as John Jaso drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Dustin Ackley, and Jesus Montero grounded into a double play that allowed Michael Saunders to come home. The Mariners added on in the seventh inning as Saunders hit a two-run home run, also scoring Ackley, followed by Eric Thames doubling Jaso across the dish. The scoring ended here at 5-1, with Beavan earning the win, Josh Kinney tossing the save, and Deduno was handed the loss.

Finally, back east, the New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox. Josh Beckett is mismatched with Hiroki Kuroda. New York opened with a first inning Curtis Granderson double, scoring Derek Jeter. The Yankees got another in the third inning with Jeter scoring on a wild pitch. New York padded the lead in the fourth inning as Ichiro Suzuki hit a solo home run. The Yankees got another in the sixth inning on another Suzuki solo shot. Boston got on the board in the seventh inning with an Adrian Gonzalez solo home run. This was as close as it got, with the final being 4-1, giving Kuroda the win, Rafael Soriano the save, and Beckett was pinned with the loss.

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